My two only eat wet food if it is a) the pate variety, and b) if it mix it to a slurry with water like gravy. They won't eat much, though they will carry on as though they are never fed. Yet they will eat up the dry at will. Good idea about that cat's milk, savemoney!
Back in the day we used Nutrical at the humane society, they liked it, concentrated nutrition. I wonder if it's still around, worked well.
This is what she is doing. Acting hungry, but not necessarily readily eating. She knows she has me wrapped around her little paw, I guess. I looked up her weight vs age and it was considered "normal". She hardly eats dry kibble anymore, though it is available. I read in my research that the dry kibble can lead to being overweight, which she was for most of her life (wet food used to be a 'treat'). With the mouth problem (unknown for a while), she moved almost exclusively to wet food, which turns out to be a better choice for them as it is meat based protein vs vegetable based. Supposedly, wet food only cats will be more lean than dry eaters. Also, the dry kibble can lead to urinary problems due to lack of drinking. A cat's 'natural' food (birds, mice, chipmunks, etc) would have ~70% water in them whereas the kibble is only like 10% or less water.
I can pet relate I’m a dog guy, we have a cat also. Bailey took a shining to me when we rescued here after Katrina. Back in 12 I had my best dog. Samson a chocolate lab die in my arms, he was 10. A day doesn’t go by I don’t think of him. I hope Timber well.
My era was dry kibble for teeth health, and wet was a treat. Well, I fed our Siamese of 17 years the "best" available at the time, holisitc, human food grade foods were new (Avoderm, California Naturals, ect). 25 years out of the industry, the CSU Vet Teaching school called those foods a "potato chip diet" and turned me to low carb wet foods. His demise was diabetes that eventually ruined his kidneys despite aggressive vet care the last couple years, they said caused from the Potato Chip Diet.
Also there is a cat's milk available at the pet store. Don't use cow's milk. Good luck.[/QUOTE] Couldn't resist....
Sorry for your loss. I am still not fully over my golden retriever, Jack, who I had to put down 2 years ago. Thank you for the well wishes. Timber has outlived 2 dogs and 3 other cats in her time. Part of why this is hitting me so hard I think. I've taken for granted that she'll always be waiting for me at the door when I get home. I've never had a pet make it past 11-12 years before her. She is currently the only furball I have.
I think the current 'proper diet' is wet food, with dry treats for dental health. Timber got Purina One kibble for most of her adult life, and was overweight also. I always just figured she was a glutton. Who knew there is science behind it?
It’s a painful loss, he is family best hunter I ever had. Always stayed in the same room I was in. Followed me like nothing I have ever seen. The memories...
Hasn't given up yet! Getting her to eat much of anything is a struggle, but she doesn't seem to be in an excessive amount of discomfort at this point. I can now feel the cyst/tumor when I rub her neck. If you look closely, you can see that one side of her face is slightly swollen. Still gets a watery eye sometimes, but the drooling has subsided for the most part. Will continue to go day by day. I have treats that she will still eat anytime I offer them. When she loses interest in those, I'm guessing the end will be near.
Glad to hear she is doing better, all things considered. Hope you both have a lovely christmas together.
Going to go to Petsmart next week. Most certainly her last Christmas, so going to spoil her with a bunch of stuff.
Very sorry to hear about this. Very difficult for us who get very attached to what is 'only an animal'. We lost our first dog back around 1998, the dog my kids grew up with also, and it took both my wife and I to deal with that. She could not come to the vet. with us, I could not deal with the after-part in the backyard. Not good. But then I find people who abandon cats and dogs (as Timber's previous.... er, ahem, 'owner' did) as well as people who have dogs tied outside 24/7 and pay them no attention at all. I think my all- time low for animal treatment was a family we knew who had a 'pet limit' and when the kids wanted a new pet, a pet already in the house had to go; I kid you not, they literally traded in pets like one trades in a car, and that was after YEARS of having the pet in some cases. So for me, I take this extreme difficulty in dealing with 'just an animal', a pet, as a very positive personality trait. Not that that is of any comfort to you in this situation, just pointing out that given the three ways possible for humans to interact with animals, Negatively (those who abuse animals, kill animals for fun and all the others who need a short drop from a scaffold), Neutral (the animals are 'around' but the owners are not really attached or Positive (I had three kids, two walked upright and the third walked on all fours), I respect and admire those in the third class and yet very well know just how hard this part of having a pet, or really a family member, always is. As I type this, I have a six month old kitten laying on my couch and of course expect a long future with her. And I am pretty old, so nature may get me before it gets her. But still, there is a little part of me that knows that getting attached to her will almost certainly result in this same end. Wishing you and Timber the very best. Brian
Phoebe (the kitten) has so far resisted all 'cat treats' and actually prefers her regular food. But she loses her mind around tuna fish (for humans, not tuna flavored cat food). The very first night we got her (OK, the very first night she got us ) of course we had no animal food other than Milk Bones (for guests and those we meet in our travels) so I gave her some Half 'n Half (not interested), some American cheese (it was OK but not great) and then opened a can of my wife's tuna for her. She went absolutely nuts. So I bought her a four- pack and give her little bits now and again..... and she still goes nuts every time. I hand- feed it to her and when it is all gone, she gnaws at my fingers for a bit.... Yeah, once they get us trained, things work out OK. Brian
